Gear-generating machine



` sept. 13,1921. 1,642,554

i c. G. oLsoN GEAR GENERATING MACHINE Filed Maron v'. 192s 5 sheets-sheet 1 MMI/111ml! i v @fm-@bm Sept; 13,1927. c. G OLSON 1,642,554

GEAR GENERATING MACHINE Filed March 7. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 13,1927. a a OLSON GEAR GENERATING MACHINE 5 Sheef's-Shet 3 Filed March '7. 1925 Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,554

C. G. OLSON GEAR GENERATING MACHINE Filed March v. 1.925 5 sheets-sheet. '4

1,642,554- SePt- 13 1927' c. G. OLSON l GEAR GENERATING MACHINE Filed March 7.. 1923 5 Shets-Sheet 5v 43- Ez/c7220?? Patented sept. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,642,554A PATENT OFFICE. y

CARL e. OLSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR To IIZLINOI's rrOOI. WORKS, or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,l A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

GEAR-GENERATING MACHINE.

Application tiled March 7, 19,23. Serial No. 628,529.

My invention relates to gear generating the left in Fig. 2. A part of the frame Work machines Operating upon the hobbing .principle and While it vmay employ .an ordinary cutting hob I have employed and illustrated what may befregarded as a .grinding hob, the same having anl abrasive helicoidal worm capable of generating gear teeth by grinding instead of by ordinary cutting. 'The general Object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character capable of producing accurate anduniform work without requiring great skill on the part of the operator. Among the more specific objects it is my purpose to provide' a simple form of mechanism for operating the tool and work spindles in timedrela'tion; second, to provide in a gear generating machine with crosswise spindles means for producing relative feed between the work and the generating tool in a direction parallel to the axis of the work; third, to arrange the tool and work spindle crosswise and mount one of them (inthe present designvthe work spindle) pivotally so that it may be swingable to bring the work closer together or farther apart to increase or decrease the depth to which the generated gear teeth will be cut (specifically, in the illustrated' case the Work y spindle is )ournaled in a housing or framei which is pivotally mounted on a shaft remote from the work and arranged crosswise of the work spindle and hence the work is bodily movable, radially, and along an ar# cuate path, tow'ard andv from the tool axis; as designed 'this pivot shaft is also the one which drives the work spindle); fourth, to provide means for securing the work to the work spindle approximately in correct angular position to coordinate.. with the helical 4u element on the tool and supplemental means for 'then obtaining a micrometer adjustment of the work angularly to accurately coordinate with the helical element on the. tool; fifth, to provide means, in a machine of this type, with crossed tool and work spindles and axial feediof the work, for varying the angle between the spindles to correspond to various helix angles in the different tools whichmay be` employed. I accomplish my .i0 objects by the mechanism illustrated.. in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 's' a front elevationof the machine. i

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine. Figure 34 is an end view lookingtoward is broken away to better reveal the construction of some of the parts. Figure 4 is a plan section on the line 4 4 Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan section on the line 5-5 .Figure 1. This shows the split nut carried at the lower end of the mechanism which feeds the work spindle axially.

Figure 6 is an end view of the machine looking toward the right, Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7 7 Figure 1, and shows the mechanism for producing the inalan ular adjustment of the work spindle about Its axis.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation on the lin 9-9 Figure 1.

Figure' 10 is a plan section on the line 10-10, Figure 1. It shows part' of the mechanism by `which the' Work may be swung closer` to or farther from the axis of the grinder hob.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the form illustrated the tool 1 is, as previously stated, a inding helicoid operating upon the hobbmg prlnciple. I shall, therefore, for simpliclty lrefer to it by the generic term hob although specically it is a grinding hob instead of a outtinghob. In operating, it works upon the generating Iprinciple and grinds to finished form the teeth of the gear which constitute the work. It will be understood that in practice the teeth of the work will be roughed out prior to being brought tomy' present machine. The tool 1, therefore, corresponds to a linishing hob lcapable of truing up the teeth after they have been roughed out. In my machine the tool is rotated by a spindle 4 journaled in pedestals 6 rising from the bed or main frame 8. The spindle is driven at hi h speed by a belt pulle 10 or other suit- 100 abe form of power device. Rigidly fastened on this spindle is -a gear 12 which, operating through a train of gears 13, 14 and 15, drives a shaft 16. This shaft is provided with suitable bearings 18,` and operates both 106 as a driving shaft'for driving the work spindle and as a Vpivot for the frame or housing in which the work spindle is mounted. This 'will presently be explained more in detail.

For identification shaft.` 16 may be referred 1`10 will to as a', countershaft. Rigidly fastened to it is a worm which cooperates with a worm gear 22 rigidly connected to the work spindle 24 as shown, for example, in Figures` 4 and 9. The work 2, which in the present case is a roughed out spur gear, is secured to thejupper end of the work spindle for exam le, y asleeve 25 clam d down by a nut By thus clamping t e work to the spindle it may at once b e brought to approximately the correct angular position tocoordinate with the helicoid on the tool. The final accurate position may be obtained b a sepgrate mlcrometer adjustment whic hereinafter explained.

The connection between the worm gear 22 and the work spindle is such that the rotation of the worm gear will cause the spindle to rotate, but the spindle will be free to slide longitudinall relatively to said worm r. The particu ar mechanism selected for is journaled and in which it is slidable longi-l tudinally to provide for feeding the `work past the tool. A locking ring 26 screws on e to the upper end of the sleeve and holds the worm gear'in fixed position upon the sleeve. This worm gear bears upon the hub 62 of al secondaryl frame or housing 60presently to be described. At the lower end of the sleeve is an annular ange 28 to which is fastened a housing 30. Near the lower end this housing carries cap screws 32, the inner ends whereof project into slots or keyways 34 in a sleeve 36 which encircles the spindle and is rigidly secured to it by means of a lockout 38 which forces it against a plate 40 which abuts a shoulder 42 formed on the s indle. The result of this construction ,is t at the work spindle is forced to ro tate in unison with the worm gear 22 and hence in timed relation with the tool spindle 4 and yet is freeto move axially (in the present case vertically) tou roduce the feed of the work relative y to t e tool.

The vertical feed just mentioned is caused by mechanism illustrated in the lower portxon of Figures lI 3 and 9 andalso in Figure 5. A feedscrew 43 is rigidly connected to work spindle 24, for example by a tapered pivoted u drive fit as illustrated in the lower portion of F1 re 9. The reason that the feed screw 1s re erably a separable element is that this a ords an opportunity to substitute feed Screws having different itches to cause different rates of feed. Said feed screw works rmed of two halves 44 il1usj in a lit nut fo trate in detail in Fi re 5. These half nuts ane ewingable `in a orizontal plane' be'` on rods 46. TheyV are rota about thei pivots by cam mechanism which includes a handle 48 rojecting from the side of a 50 from .which rise pins 5 2 which purpose is well illustrated in Figure 9r F makin portion of Figure 9.

:tetanus work in cam slots 54 formed in said half nuts. The disc 50 rotates about screw 43 as an axis and rides upon cross bar 56 supported by nuts 58 upon thelower ends of rod 46. 'The construction is such that by- `swinging handle 48 in one position or the` other it will cause thehalf nuts to swing into and out of engagement with the feed screw. J

The rods 46 are fastened at their upper ends to the said frame or housing 60 and are supported by it. trated in section in Figures 4 and 9. It has v a hub 62 which forms a bearing for the worm gear 22 and sleeve 23 as previously mentioned.` Italso has a hub 64 located above worm gear 22 and carrying a sleeve 66 in which theupper portion of work spindle 24 is journaled. By preference the secondary frame is formed in two parts secured together b bolts 68 as shown at the left portion'of igure 9. This frame thus forms a support for the workfs indle 24 and parts associated therewith. t is pivotally supported upon countershaft 16 in the manner now to be described. f' f Risinv from the upper portion of frame This frame is illusv 60 are integral brackets 70 having arcuate by bolts 84.to the bearings 86 formed in a d cross head 88 supported on the main frame 8 of the machine.

The cross head is slidable upon ways 83 on the maln frame and its position is controlled by an adjusting screw 85 shown, for example, 1n Figures 3, 4 and 9.. This screw works 1n a nut 87 bolted to-the under side of the crosshead.

It will be observed that shaft 16 is supported at one end by the bearings 18 and at the other by bearings 86. It will also be observed that the bearings 86 prevent endwise movement of the bearing blocks 80, thus confining the' frame 60'in the proper position lonltudlnally on shaft 16, but permit-l ting `sai frame to rock on said shaft for adjusting the work closer to or farther from y the axis of the tool 1. The mechanism for scri Projoctin a fork 90 w which'form trunnions for a bearing sleeve Y94 in'whlch an adjusting screw 96 1s journaled. This is shown detail in the left Screw 96 works in plvotally sup orted u n .100 supported-)apano forward from the frame 60 is a nut 98 which is the point ich supports pointed screws 92 nuvl this adjustment will now be deist -102 having trunnions 104 at lthe ends rorotatably supported in bearings 106 as illustrated at the lower portion of Figure 2 and in detail in Figure' 10`. The-bearings 106 are far enough apart to afford a limited amount of endwise movement of block 102 vto permit arcuate adjustment of the frame to conform to various helix angles in the grinding hob. The bearings 106 are in the form of blocks mounted uponl ythe degree of adjustment.

I have provided means for adjusting the shaft 16 longitudinally -to produce a tine' angular adjustment of the work spindle. The mechanism is shown in detail in Fig.- ures l6, 7 and 8, and will now be described. The bearin 18 previously mentioned is extended at t e inner end and is externallyl screw threaded to cooperate with an internally screw threaded hub 116 which is provided with a lever118 by which it is angularlycontrolled. An annular nutl 118 screws onto the hub 116 and is internally Lever 118 is secured in the proper angular' 'shouldered to engage the flange 120 of a sleeve 122 which is pinned or otherwise rigidly secured to shaft 16. It will be evident that when hub 116 is angularly adjusted it will screw forward or backward along bearing 18 and pull shaft 16' with it. The movelnent called for is slight as it merely constitutes a final adjustment after the work has been fastened to the work spindle.

position by a slotted quadrant 124 which is concentric with shaft 16. A clamping bolt- 126 secures the lever inthe position desired. I have provided means by which the time to time but as this forms no part of the present invention it need not be describedin detail. The theory of operation a g will `be found in my prior Patent 1,501,229

issued July 15, 1924. The mechanism asa whole is indicated b A at the upper portion of Figure 2 and at t e right end of Figure 3. It is also illustrated in FigureA 6. This mechanism is never used at the same time that the grinding hob acts upon the 4work and 'hence may; be,considered as an alterna-I tive part of the machine. In operation, the pullyl 10 drives the tool spindle 4 and tool 1. el gears 12, 13,14

`and 15 transmit this motion at reduced -speed to the countershaft 16 on which the.

worm 20 is fastened. This drives the worm gear 22 and hence causes the work spindle 24 to rotate in harmony with the lead of thc thread upon the grinder. The gear to be ground isv clamped in approximately the correct angular position upon work spindle 2 4, after which if. any final adjustment isv required it is accomplished by loosening the clamping bolt 126 (see Figures 7 and 8) and rotating the lever handle 118. This shifts the shaft 16 slightly which imparts a slight rotary movement to the worm gear 22 and work spindle 24. This may be regarded as a micrometer adjustment for lever handle '118 may be rotated a considerable angle without producing much angular movement of the work. Under normal'operating conditions the split nut 44, 44 engages the" threads of the feed screw 43 with the result that as the work spindle rotates it causes the feed screw to rotate and gradually raise the work spindle 24. Thisfcauses the work to traveltangentially to the tool for feeding 111e work past the tool inaccordance with usual hobbing practice. After the work spindle has risen to such height that the gear wheel is entirely finished it may be quickly lowered by swinging the handle 48V to unlocking position, thus causing the two halves of the split nut 44 to disengage the feed screw and permit the housing and work Spindle to drop directly to /initial position.

,If ,it is desired to bring the work closer to or further from the rinder the operator rotates the hand whee 110 in the proper direction. This swings the frame 60fabout the shaft 1.6 as a pivot and swings the work.

toward or from the grinder, the work travel- ,ing in an arcuate path concentric with shaft 16. This may be regarded as a micrometer I adjustment because wheel 11,0 may be rotated through a considerable angle without producing much bodily movement of the work towards or from the grinder. The

primary purpose af this adjustment is to compensate for the wear of the grinder .so that as the grinder wears away the work may be kept in contact with-it. This adgrinding hob may be dressed or trued from justment may also be regarded as regulating the depth of the cut-that is, the depth to ,which the abrasive helicoid will enter' into Jwork spindle to rotatel inproper timed relation and `that for the purpose of grindm g the teeth of gears the machine is quite -umversal` in the sense of. being capable of lli adapting itself to grinders having a variety of i ameters and helix angles; also that tho machine is capable of tine adjustment in bringing the gear wheel to the roper angular position and to the proper istance from Vthe axis of the tool spindle.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :f-

l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a'generating tool spind'e, a work spindle arranged crosswise of the tool spindle, a frame in which the Work spindle is both rotatable and is longitudinally slidale for causing relative feed between the work and the tool, anda counter shaft rotating in timed relation with the tool spindle, said shaft being geared to the work spindle for rotating it and forming a pivot for said frame, said shaft being parallel to the tool spindle whereby angular movement of the frame will move the work toward or from the tool.

' 2. A machine of the class described having a main frame, a tool spindle mounted therein and having a stationary axis. a work spindle, a secondary frame for holding-the work spindle ap roximately crosswise of the `tool spindle, a s aft on which the secondary' frame is pivoted to enable the work to be swun toward or from the tool, said shaft and t e work spindle being geared together, and means for rotating said'shaft and the tool s indle intimed relation.

f3. E machine of the class described having a main iframe, a tool spindle mounted in fixed position in said frame, a work spindle, a secondary frame for holding the work spindle approximatel crosswise of the tool spindle, a countesha t mounted in the main frame and geared directly to the work spindle for rotating it, means operated direct] by the work spindle for moving it longitu inally in its bearings, said secondary frame being piv- Otally mounted-on. said countershaft, and means `for causing the tool spindle and drive shaft to rotate in timed relation.

4. Iha machine of the class describedA the combination of a generating tool spindle, awork spindle arranged crosswise of the tool spindle, a frame in which the work spindle is p both rotatable and is axially shiftable to cause relative feed between the tool and the work, a count-ershaft rotating in timed rela ltion with the tool spindle, said shaft having a gear wheel fastenedu on it, gearing for .connecting said gear whees to the work spindle for rotatin the latter, the frame being pivoted upon t ecountershaft for enabling theu work to be tool, and means for moving the work spindle longitudinally in the frame in accord with its rotary motion.

5. a machine of the class described the combination of a'. generating tool spindle, a

swung toward and from the work spindle arranged crosswse ofthe tool spindle, a frame in which the work slpindle is shaft and the other is mounted on said frame.

6. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of a` tool spindle and a work spindle arranged transversel to each other, a power driven counter sha t geared to the work spindle for driving it, said counter shaft also being` geared'to the tool spindle,

a frame forming a bearing for the work spindle and pivotally mounted on said coun ter shaft so as to be rockable about 1t as an axis, and a lead screw in line with the work spindle for moving it longitudinall as 1t rotates to thereby produce relative eed between the tool and the work.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a tool spindle and a work spindle arranged transversel to each other, a power driven counter sha work spindle for ldriving it, said counter shaft also being geared to the tool spindle, a frame forming a bearing for the work spindle and pivotally mounted on said oounter shaft so as to be rockable about it as an axis, a lead screw in line with the work geared to the threaded elements, -one of which is rigidly fastened to the work spindle for moving it longitudinally as it rotates to thereby produce relativevfeed between the tool and the work, and screw mechanism for varying the position ofthe work'spindle about the countershaft as anl axis to vary the distance of the work axis from the axis of the tool spindle.

8. A machine tool having a tool spindle for supporting a generatin tool, a work spindle arranged crosswise o dle, a frame in which the work spindleis both rotatable and longitudinally shiftable to cause relative feed between the tool and the work, a countershaft arranged parallel 'the tool spinlll to the tool spindle and forming e pivotal support for said frame,r said countershaft being geared to the work spindle for rotating it, and means driven by the countershaft for shifting the work spindle axially to cause relative feed between the'work and the tool. i

9. In a machine, of the class described, the' combinationof a tool spindle, a work in# dle, a countershafueared to the tool spindle. a worm on sa countershaft meshing with a worm gear on said spindle for transmitting rotarymovement to' the work spil` var dle to drive it in timed relation with the tool spindle, means for clampin the work to the 4workpspindle for holding 1t approximately in proper angular position with respect to its own axis, and means for shifting the countershaft longitudinally a slight distance to thereby produce a line angular movement Iof the work wheel about its axis and consequently of the work about its axis. v

10. A 'machine operating upon the hobhingI principle and employing a rotary tooly having a helical acting element'on it, 'said machine having a-tool spindle, a work spindle arranged transversely thereto, means for;

rotating said spindles in timedrelation, and a bearing for the Work spindle angularly adjustable in a plane approximately tangential to the tool whereby the work axis may be ad'usted 4to various helix anglesv of the helical elements -upon the tool.

1 1. A machineY operating upon the hobbing principle in which the toolris rotary and provided with a helical acting element,`

said machine having a tool spindle, a work -spindle arrangedl transversely to it, means including a countershaft and gearing for causing said s indles to rotate in timed relation, and a angularly adjustable in a plane approximately tangential to the toolwhereby the work axis may be adjusted to various helix angles of the helical elements upon the tool,"said bearing' being also adjustable angularlyl-abo'ut the counterslaft as an axis to t e distance of the workaxis from the too axis.

12. A machinetoolhaving a tool spindle aringfop the work spindle -scribed my4 name.

larly movable to increase the distance of the work from vthe tool spindle, and means actuated by the tool spindle for moving it longi.

tudinally to produce relative feed between the worli and the tool. v

13. A machine tool having a tool spindle for supporting the generating tool, (a work vspindle arranged crosswise of the tool spindle, a countershaft interposed between the tool ,spindle and the work spindle, in that the work spindle is geared tothe countershaft vand through it to the tool spindle, a lead screw for causing the work spindle to shift longitudinally to feed the work past the tool, a frame pivotally mounted upon the countershaft and forming asupport for the work spindle, the work spindle being both rotatable and longitudinally movable 1n said frame, and means for controlling the posi-y tion of said'frame angularly about the countershaft for increasing or decreasing the distance of the work from the tool spindle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subcARL G. oLpsoN. 

